Demob Happy, Holy Doom - album review
It is fitting that in the week after Ringo Starr became Sir Richard Starkey this record, which seems to owe so much to The Beatles, is released.
Geordie lads (borrowed by Brighton) Demob Happy are on record number two, and they steer well away from any case of Second Album Syndrome (SAS).
This, which plays host to the faraway, echoed vocals that the Fab Four preferred and the gritty guitars early Kasabian crooned over, is a delicious lick of classic British rock.
Shunning polishing and tweaking in favour of a heavy dose of realism makes it even sweeter. The grainy bass is a delight as it thumps forth from the stereo.
Be Your Man incorporates all this at its finest. Nightmare-ish chorus vibes play havoc on the eardrums. It's like a road trip gone bad, a sunny Sunday cruise where the serene feel has been ruined by an exploding tanker. And all in a fantastic way.
There is a heavy dose of style throughout. The riffs and bass lines are thoughtful and stick around in the crags of your conciousness. On Loosen It, that accompanying deep repetition won't leave you when the song finishes. It snarls like a dog disturbed from its dinner.
The sound could almost be called nonchalant, if it wasn't so gripping. A band with less talent may be accused of arrogance and laziness. But in the same way Turbowolf do, they pull off the carefree demeanour with style.
They've had it tough, with the departure of guitarist Matthew Renforth in 2016 almost leading to their disappearance altogether. And it is perhaps these hardships that make this record sound like a real two fingers up at everyone who got in their way.
Just play I Wanna Leave (Alive) with the volume up. Fans of The Strokes will love this crunching roll of a song with the quick switch-up for the chorus. It's a delight.
The brash and ferocious Spinning Out, too, bares its claws from start to finish with all the aggression of a riled teenager told to clean their room.
It's a delightful listen throughout, a lot of fun and a reminder of the sounds of yesteryear. If this is how they respond to adversity, imagine what they'll do when they're on top of the world.
Rating: 8/10
Demob Happy bring their sound to The Flapper in Birmingham on April 10
